MILITARY TRAINING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 49, 16 July 1912, Page 5

MILITARY TRAINING.

THE NEW DEFENCE SCHEME. ITS APPLICATION TO JUNIOR "'' CADETS. By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Last Night. Major-General Godley (Commandant of the New Zealand Defence Forces) appeared before the Education Commission to-day, and was asked certain questions in relation to the military training imposed on junior cadets. ' The General, in reply to questions, said that he did l not think that hoys should be given military training under fourteen years of age. Fourteen years of age was time enough for any boy to begin any kind of military training. He approved of the demilitarising of the junior cadets. The junior cadets, he added, were put under the control of the Education Department in order to protect them from the military authorities—(laughter)—and to prevent them from doing a great deal of military training. The effect produced had been the very opposite to that intended. A separate military control had been set up which he could not recognise. On arrival at the age of fourteen years a boy was handed over to him. 'Logically he could not accept anything a boy had done up to that time. Therefore, they had to start afresh.

The chairman (Mr. Cohen): You hare got to re-train them?

The General: "I have nothing to do with what they had done in military training. I have no knowledge of what has taken place. A separate bogus and anomolous military organisation has been set up for the junior eadets which I cannot recognise, because from a military point of view it is undesirable." It did not, he said, affect the military authoritiesl, because they could not recognise it. The officers carried the titles of officers, but they had ho commissions, and the organisation was a purely bogus military organisation. He was enormously interested in the junior cadets, but the position was quite illogical. They could not accept any form of military training set up'independently of the military organisation. Richtlv or wrongly, hehappened to be the bead of the military forces. He believed very much in the Boy Scout, movement, aiv.l also believed that certain portions of it could be applied to both the junior and senior cadets. For boys under fourteen years of age hs would make the training physical drill with a very little military training. In Australia the junior cadets?were not allowed to wear a uniform,/and they were not given rifles, but they were under the Defence Department. In Australia a boy was also not allowed to carry a rifle or do any military training' before he was fourteen years of age. The chairman: We take it that you urge falling into line with Australia? General Godley: That is so.

The chairman: And that the whole should he under the control of your department? General Godley: "I don't see any objection to their remaining under the control of the Education Department so long as they do not perform any military work." He saw the greatest objection, however, in their having military recognition under present conditions, as happened in the case of officers. If they were to have "military recognition they would have to be under military control.